Non-destructive machining damage detection
Rapid, non-destructive, near-surface defect detection for verification of components and validation of new processes and products
THE PROBLEM
Machining inherently involves the deformation of near-surface of a workpiece to remove material and achieve the required component geometry and finish. High levels of deformation are known to lead to the formation of defects such as white layers and distorted layers, which are known to significantly reduce fatigue life. Assessment of such surface integrity defects in currently requires destructive cross-sectional optical or scanning electron microscopy.
The limitations of the current approach (cross-sectional microscopy) significantly hamper the speed and sustainability of component verification:
Destructive: Sacrifices valuable parts resulting in waste.
Time-consuming: Long lead times (1 week - 1 month) hinder responsiveness.
Subjective: Operator-dependent interpretation of results leads to measurement variation.
Limited scope: Cannot inspect production parts directly or achieve large part coverage.
This lack of accurate, timely, and non-destructive surface integrity assessment hinders:
Performance: Defects compromise component lifespan and functionality, leading to costly failures.
Safety: Conformance cannot be checked for production components, so verification is limited to 1 in 100 parts.
Sustainability: Destructive testing leads to material waste. The inability to verify production components means the product life-cycle can't be maximised. The cross-section method uses chemicals to etch the surface.
Efficiency: The long time frame for inspection creates production and R&D bottlenecks and inefficiencies whilst reducing responsiveness and fixed manufacturing processes.
This critical gap in capability demands a transformative solution for surface integrity assessment in the aerospace industry.
OUR SOLUTION - X-Ray Diffraction Surface Integrity Inspection Method (XRD-SIIM)
Non-destructive
No part sacrificed. No dissection of valuable parts required thereby enabling inspection of production components.
Inspection in under 1 minute
Rapid single-step inspection offers a time-to-results orders of magnitude faster than microstructural cut-ups.
On Machine Inspection
Non-destructively assess near-surface condition using XRD-SIIM hardware integrated into a machining centre.
Sustainable testing
Reduction of material waste for testing, product life cycle extension via additional assurance, removal of the need for chemical etchants.
Automated Analysis
Utilise any X-ray diffractometer in combination with our automated analysis software to obtain inspection results.
Workpiece-condition based machining
Depending on the component tolerances and the machining stage, identifying a defect on-machine could facilitate rework, or adaptive machining.
CALL TO ACTION - Seeking early adopters
We are seeking early adopters in the industry who want to see XRD-SIIM implemented in their facilities.
The AMRC offers XRD-SIIM measurements as a service for research purposes. Please get in touch if you would like us to inspect your components.
We are also seeking feedback from manufacturers and the manufacturing supply chain across different sectors to support the transition of the method into the industry. Please get in touch if you have a component which is currently validated through destructive methods as XRD-SIIM could offer a faster and more sustainable inspection solution.